Anyone can learn to meditate. It is a natural and enjoyable thing to do.

Practicing mediation is a wonderfully simple way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.

Best of all you can meditate anywhere and at any time, and you don’t need special equipment to do it.

There are a growing number of evidence-based research studies into the many benefits of meditating.

Here’s my top 10 scientifically proven reasons that meditation can make such a difference to you and your life.

1) Reduces Stress

Many styles of meditation have been shown to help reduce stress. Meditation can also help people with stress-triggered medical conditions to lessen their symptoms.

2) Lessens Anxiety

It follows that less stress means less anxiety.

So, by regularly practicing meditation we can help to reduce anxiety and anxiety-related mental health conditions, such as social anxiety, phobias and obsessive-compulsive behaviours (OCB).

3) Enhances Emotional Health

Meditation can help you develop an improved self-image and cultivate a more positive outlook on life.

4) Enhances Self-Awareness

Meditation may help you develop a stronger awareness and understanding of yourself. This can be the catalyst you need to bring other positive changes into your life

5) Lengthens Attention Span

Meditation is like weight training for the mind. It helps increase the strength and endurance of your concentration and focus.

6) May Reduce Age-Related Memory Loss

It is believed that meditation may help keep your mind ‘young’ by strengthening both memory and mental clarity. These benefits can help fight age-related memory loss and dementia.

7) Can Generate Kindness

Loving-kindness meditation, also know as ‘Metta’, is a powerful practice of developing compassionate feelings, both towards yourself and others. It has been shown to increases positivity, empathy and compassionate behaviour.

8) Improves Sleep

Almost half the population will struggle with insomnia at some point!

Meditation may help you to control those relentless, racing thoughts that often lead to sleepless nights. It also helps relax your body and releases tension, putting you in a peaceful state which is far more conducive to enjoying a restful night’s asleep.

9) Helps Control Pain

Your perception of pain is directly related to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions.

Meditation has been shown to help diminish the perception of pain in the brain.

10) Can Decrease Blood Pressure

Meditation helps reduce blood pressure not just during practice, but also longer-term for those who meditate regularly. This decrease in hypertension can reduce strain on the heart and arteries, helping prevent heart disease.

And if these 10 reasons weren’t enough to tempt you to meditate, perhaps I should add an 11th; meditation is fun and feels so good.

Why not give it a try? Find out more about meditating with TOBY YOGA.